Obama has 'no patience' for Russia's anti-gay stance

Sochi Olympics

LEON NEAL / AFP/Getty Images

In response to calls for a boycott of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics due to Russia's anti-gay legislation, the International Olympics Committee released a statement promising to "work to ensure" a discrimination-free Olympics.

In response to calls for a boycott of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics due to Russia's anti-gay legislation, the International Olympics Committee released a statement promising to "work to ensure" a discrimination-free Olympics. (LEON NEAL / AFP/Getty Images)

The comments come about six months before the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia -- a global event that has increased the amount of international attention being paid to Russia's new laws, one of which makes it illegal to spread "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations."

Foreigners and Russians alike can be arrested under the law, and some see it as having led to a spike in attacks on gay and lesbian Russians in recent weeks.

On Tuesday night, Leno broached the topic by saying the laws had "shocked" him, comparing Russia's arrests of gay people to Nazi Germany's treatment of Jews and gays.

"It starts with that," Leno said. "You round up people who you don't like. Why is not more of the world outraged?"

Obama met the question head on:

"I've been very clear that when it comes to universal rights, when it comes to people's basic freedoms, that whether you are discriminating on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, you are violating the basic morality that I think should transcend every country, and I have no patience for countries that try to treat gays or lesbians or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them," Obama said.

Obama also said that "what's happening in Russia is not unique," bringing up his recent travels in Africa, where he said some countries that are doing good work for their citizens have also "persecuted gays and lesbians."

The president said it "makes for some uncomfortable press conferences," but that he feels it is important to speak out about.

"One of the things that I think is very important for me to speak out on is making sure that people are treated fairly and justly, because that's what we stand for and I believe that that's a precept that's not unique to America. That's something that should apply everywhere."

Leno then asked Obama whether he thinks Russia's laws will affect the Olympics.

Obama responded by saying he thinks Russia and President Vladimir Putin understand most countries participating in the Olympics won't tolerate discrimination against gays and lesbians.

"They're athletes. They're there to compete, and if Russia wants to uphold the Olympic spirit, then every judgment should be made on the track or in the swimming pool or on the balance beam, and people's sexual orientation shouldn't have anything to do with it."

OK, so Obama may have been confusing the Winter Olympics for the Summer Olympics -- but you get the drift.

UPDATE: On Wednesday, the White House announced Obama would not be holding a planned, one-on-one U.S.-Russia summit with Putin in September, citing the country's human rights record as one reason.

"[Given] our lack of progress on issues such as missile defense and arms control, trade and commercial relations, global security issues, and human rights and civil society in the last twelve months, we have informed the Russian Government that we believe it would be more constructive to postpone the summit until we have more results from our shared agenda," said spokesman Jay Carney in a statement. "Russia's disappointing decision to grant [NSA leaker] Edward Snowden temporary asylum was also a factor that we considered in assessing the current state of our bilateral relationship."